Photography: The Railroad Revival Tour

In April, 2011, three bands climbed aboard a pair of old train cars in Oakland, CA, and traveled the rails across the American Southwest to New Orleans, LA, stopping in six cities just long enough to unload, play, and pack up for the next leg of the trip. Dubbed “The Railroad Revival Tour,” the lineup consisted of Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Mumford & Sons (each relatively new with their debut albums less than two years old), and Old Crow Medicine Show (with seven studio albums dating back to 1998).

The result was a diesel-driven rock-fest with a touch of Southern folk. Photographer J. Regan Hutson caught the performance in San Pedro, California, and brought back this iconic record of the tour. (Hover over images for caption information.)

Reminiscent Fervor
by J. Regan Hutson

Fans approach the main stage at the Railroad Revival Tour stop in San Pedro, CA.

Daylight crowd preparing for the San Pedro show.

Old Crow Medicine Show, left to right: Ketch Secor, Willy Watson, Cory Younts, Gil Landry.

Old Crow Medicine Show's Willy Watson giving it all.

Lft: Old Crow Medicine Show's Ketch Secor revels in the moment. Rt: Stewart Cole, of Edward Sharpe, capers.

Lft: Alex Ebert as Edward Sharpe. Rt: Christian Letts & Alex Ebert of Edward Sharpe.

Alex Ebert as Edward Sharpe, dropping some rocker benedictions on the masses.

Nora Kirkpatrick rocking the accordion, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros.

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros pull crowd members onto the stage.

Lft: Mumford & Sons' Ben Lovett gone wild. Rt: Founder Marcus Mumford working his particular magic.

Ketch Secor of Old Crow Medicine Show and Nora Kirkpatrick of Edward Sharpe join Mumford & Sons .

Christian Letts listens to the Railroad Revival encore, from the train.

The Railroad Revival Tour is the subject of a documentary film, set to premiere this month. And the tour itself has scheduled a return this year with an all-new lineup. Make sure to check their website for updates. For more information on the performers, check out our Artist Spotlights:

Part One – Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros
Part Two – Mumford & Sons
Part Three – Old Crow Medicine Show

J. Regan Hutson is a freelance photographer from South Carolina who loves shooting live shows as well as portraits, landscape, and travel photography. He has been living and loving in the City of Angels for the past six years. Check out more of his work at jreganhutsonphotography.com.